Green Furred Cub
by silverheartlugia2000
Summary: After entering an unexplored temple Link is cursed. Traped in his 6 year old body he has to stay at the castle till a cure is found. Twilight princess world. Contains chibi Link with shapeshifter wolf powers and fatherly Rusl.


**Ok I've got this headcanon on a shapeshifter Twilight Link and always wanted to see a chibi fic using my headcanon. So since Shrunk Twins is starting to wind down Naru and I started getting this going. This is my first Zelda piece and I hope you like my explination on being a partial mute, enjoy!**

* * *

Link wanders up to the door of the dungeon. Zelda had said she found information on a lost temple and wanted him to check it out. When hearing about the mission Shad had begged to come along, insisting that he always gets left out of his explorations. Rusl had come too keeping an eye on them both.

Shad looked around, smiling at the dungeon, "Hm... I wonder what kinda of treasures could be in here..."

Link watches warily. He's had experience in booby traps and didn't want to chance anything.

Shad looked at it. "You want to go?"

The blond gives a final look before pushing it open. He glanced around working out the lay out of the room. Rusl came in behind watching the green garbed teen sniff the air, checking for anything living crawling around. Shad followed closely to Link.

They continue making their way through. So far running into few problems. It was unnerving to Link though. They were never this easy, there has to be a catch somewhere.. The older male could tell Link was jumpy, taking in the subtle hints of his behavior he had learned to read throughout his time raising him.

Shad looked at him, "Are you ok, Link?"

He shrugs. Something wasn't right.. Rusl could tell he could sense something they couldn't.

Shad didn't know about Link's special powers but both his senses and his gut were screaming danger. Link couldn't help but think about how his two sides merged.

* * *

It was during the final battle with Ganon. His shield had been shattered and right arm fractured along with it. Ganon had him cornered in one end of the barrier, suddenly the Triforce mark on his hand lit up like the rising sun. A surge of energy rushed through Link, the same energy he felt whenever he touched the crystal. Only instead of the dark shadowy vibe he usually got from it, it had been full of light. His senses sharpened along with his teeth and nails. Muscles coiled with new power. An extra boost of energy allowed him to finish the fight, but not long after Midna reappeared he collapsed.

When he awoke he thought he was back in wolf form. His ears were picking up sounds they shouldn't be and there was a faint trace of wolfish thoughts flowing through his mind. But when Link opened his eyes he found himself human.

Rusl had seen the princesses bring an unconscious Link back to the castle. Being the worried adoptive father he was, he stayed by Link's bed until the hero woke up. Rusl was quite surprised when Link's first reaction was to growl bite at the unknown person in the room that leaned over him before he was fully awake.

Afterwards he received a full story of Link's travels from Midna after Zelda told them all about the new power he received. Zelda did a few tests and it turned out he had tapped into the magic within his Triforce shard. Heroes of the past would use their magic for various things from powering spells and weapons to warping in some cases. Since shapeshifting was really the only magic he 'learned' on his quest the Triforce had copied the spell for his own use.

For the next month after Midna left for the twilight realm Zelda had given Link lessons on how to control the flow of his magic, he now could shift into a full wolf or just materialize the bare minimum. But it seemed like his senses and instincts would never fully disappear anymore. On top of that, during the first few weeks he would randomly grow a tail and furry ears whenever he got over excited. His emotions seemed tad more extreme as well.

* * *

Shad looked at Link worriedly, and looked around, making sure nothing was hiding to attack them.

They came into a large room. Murals strewn across the walls and an alter on the far side.

Shad walked to the murals, gently rubbing their surface, "Wow..."

Link frowns, this room was just buzzing with magic. Shad looks back at Link.

He looks at Rusl and makes a few motions with his hands. "He says be careful." Rusl translates.

No one knew why Link didn't talk, not even Link himself. It wasn't so much that he wouldn't talk as he couldn't. Link was found on the road just outside of Ordon when he was young. A group of theives had attacked his parent's wagon killing them. One of them had been adamant with magic and cursed him stealing his voice. He could still produce various sounds but actual words, at least human ones, just remained silent.

Shad nods, looking around for any traps. Link walks up close to the alter. There was some kind of old statue sitting on it.

"Be careful..."

It didn't seem harmful. He steps back to let Shad look. Shad investigates it, "It seems to be from an ancient civilization..." Link goes back to looking around. Shad looked at a specifically extravagant hieroglyphic.

Link looks over the murals. They were odd, featuring various scenes of chaos.

Shad looks around, "This is amazing!"

On the other side the murals showed prosperity. In the middle above the alter was a large golden fox with many tails. Shad walked over and touched the metal Fox, his heart stopped when the Fox sunk in.

Link turns to see the statue glowing. He runs and pushes Shad away just as it ingulfed the room with light. There was a yelp.

Shad fell to the ground, "Link!"

The light fades and Rusl rushes over. He picks up a small body.

Shad rushed over, and looked at the body, "What?!"

It was Link but he looked to be about 6 years old. His clothes had changed to a simpler green tunic and matching shorts. (Think Time's kokiri clothes) The hat still on his head And a smaller item pouch on his belt.

"What happened?"

Rusl shrugs as he looks at the now dormant statue. "We should take him to the princess."

Shad nods quickly, "Y-Yeah."

Rusl picks Link up and they head back out to the horses. Epona nearly had a fit when she saw them, sniffing Link all over. Shad pets the horse quietly, trying to calm the horse.

She shys away from him though. She's finicky around new people. She keeps nudging Link trying to get a response. He was in too deep a sleep though.

Shad sighs, "He'll be ok, Epona."

They load up and head to the castle. Rusl holding Link in his lap. Shad watches Link in worry.

They make it up to the castle and greet the princess. Shad quickly fills the princess in on what happened with the young hero.

Link whines, his whole body ached he curled further into the warm thing he was leaning against.

Zelda walked quickly toward Link, touching his forehead gently.

He blinks his eyes open and looked at her confused. How'd she get here?

Zelda gives him a comforting smile, "Link?" She asked.

He looks around. The warm thing was Rusl, he was back at the castle. Why was everyone so big looking? He whines confused.

Zelda quietly pulls out a mirror from her bag, and reveals it to Link.

He's confused at first. Then looks himself over and panics. Rusl hugs him "It's ok Link we'll figure it out."

Zelda puts a hand on Link's arm comfortingly, "I'm sure this is a curse from the temple... We just have to find a way to reverse it..."

"It seemed to center around some kind of multitailed fox. Have you heard about anything like that your highness?" Rusl asks.

Zelda put a hand to her chin in thought, "Well... There is one legend..."

Link looks up at her.

Zelda smiles at him, "I don't know if it's relevant though..."

"What is it?" Rusl asks. Link wiggles out of his grip onto the floor. They were in Zelda's study.

Zelda sighed, "There's this old legend about a mysterious nature spirit, from a forest unknown to us... This spirit was sad, and lonely. It would make up tricks and such to get attention... the only way to cure one of the tricks is to go to the spirit itself."

Link was looking himself over. He wasn't too off put by the change of clothes though. Ever since the hero's clothes appeared on him they had shown time and again the traces of magic they held. Stains never set and tears self repaired.

Zelda shook her head, "But we have no idea where this mysterious nature spirit could be..."

Link frowns. Shad puts a hand to his chin in thought, "Hmm..." Link sits on the floor.

Zelda sighs, "I fear this may be the work of that nature spirit."

Something flashed in Link's head. A large three tailed fox giving him a quiz. He wore a mask that looked like it. He blinked and shook his head.

Zelda looks over at Link, "Are you alright?"

He looked up to her and nods.

Zelda nods a bit, "Alright..."

"What should we do then?" Rusl asks.

Zelda sighed, "Find the nature spirit."

Rusl looked at Link. He sat on the floor chin in his hands pouting. "In the meantime?"

"Keep him out of trouble."

Rusl looks at her with a grin. "But it's Link your highness." Link turns to him with a look that says 'what's that supposed to mean?!'

Zelda chuckled, "I'm not saying he will not cause trouble... but there are a lot of enemies who will attack him in his weakened state."

Link sighs staring at his tiny hands. He blinks taking a closer look at his left wrist. The Triforce mark was still on the back of his hand but the scaring on his wrist was gone.

The skin had been rubbed raw from the shackle in his wolf form. Normally he hid it under his gauntlet, but it hadn't much time to heal between changes leaving his skin scared. At least Zelda had finally managed to get the damn thing off. Aside from Corro everyone ran away when he was a wolf so he had to spend the whole journey wearing it.

Zelda sighs, looking down at Link, "I'm sorry I couldn't need more help." Link was busy looking under his shirt trying to find his other scars. Zelda chuckles, "You've gone back to how you were at this age." She answered.

He looks up rubbing his wrist. Zelda smiles at him comfortingly

Rusl sighs. "Should he stay here or come home?"

"I would recommend he stay here..."

Rusl nods. "If I could your majesty, I'd like to stay with him."

Zelda nodded, quietly picking Link up, "Of course." Link looks up at her.

Zelda smiles at him, "You'll sleep in the one of the guest rooms, alright?" He nods. It felt weird being so small he could be picked up. Link wondered how big his wolf was now.

Zelda nodded, waving to Rusl and Shad, "You two look for a cure, I'll take care of Link."

Rusl nods getting up to go write a letter home. Link flushed slightly.

Zelda smiled at him. He looks down at the floor awkwardly. Zelda shakes her head, "Don't be embarrassed...now..." He glanced back out of the corner of his eye. Zelda looked at him questioningly

Link shrugs and looks away again. He just didn't know what to think right now. Zelda nodded, rocking him a bit.

Links mind was a whirl. He was tiny. Where was his sword? Could he still defend himself? The PRINCESS was holding him like a child! And why did he feel drowsy all of a sudden?

Zelda sighed, then smiled at the boy in her arms. She knew he must feel uncomfortable about the situation, but she didn't know what else the magic could have done to him. She hummed a small song, noticing how the tiny hero's eyes started to droop.

He couldn't stay awake, all too soon he drifted off again.

Zelda smiled and walked quietly to the guest bedroom, she set him on the bed, gave him a quick kiss to the forehead, and gave a brief prayer.


End file.
